Curing the Sick
by Thaurn
Summary: Ukitake is sick and seeks help from Urahara. A story of friendship, love and sorrow. Final Chapter up.
1. Reminisce

"Urahara-san!"

Ururu ran into Urahara's room, bowing her head apologetically as she called for her manager in a frazzled voice.

"What is it Ururu?" Urahara knew something was wrong.

"Ukitake taicho is in the shop. He doesn't look very good."

Urahara patted Ururu's shoulder and gave her a reassuring smile as he made his way towards his shop.

He saw Ukitake taicho sitting on a nearby chair looking very weak and tired. Urahara made his way to the sick taicho, holding out a hand when he reached him. Ukitake looked up as Urahara approached and took the hand that was offered.

Urahara led Ukitake to his room and guided him to his futon.

"I'm sorry Urahara-san for coming like this."

"Nonsense Ukitake-san. Rest for the night, we'll talk tomorrow."

Ukitake woke up with sun glistening into the room. A foggy sleep still swept over Ukitake's mind. He didn't know or remember where he was. It didn't smell like his own room, it smelt of jasmine tea and of flowers. It was a nice smell, very soothing. Ukitake didn't want the fog that clouded his mind to disappear. He felt like he was in a blissful state, no care in the world. But the sunrays shone onto his face, making him shift and frown. He finally opened his eyes to see a man who was sitting next to him, gazing into his eyes. A hand brushed a stray hair out of Ukitake's face.

"How are you feeling today Ukitake-san," said the man in an enthusiastic tone.

The cloud had finally dissipated and Ukitake realized that it was Urahara looking down at him with a large smile on his face. The white head noticed that he couldn't see Urahara's eyes properly: his always-present hat shadowed them. As Ukitake raised a hand to try to remove the hat, Urahara's own hand shot upwards and took Ukitake's.

"What's wrong Ukitake-san?"

Ukitake faltered. He didn't realize what he was doing. He apologized and reassured the ex-taicho that he was fine. Urahara shrugged and offered Ukitake to join him in the living room for some tea and breakfast. Ukitake gladly accepted and set himself into a sitting position. Urahara realized that the man was still weak and needed help getting up, so he put an arm around Ukitake's back and hoisted him upwards slowly.

They made their way to the table in the living room without much difficulty. Ukitake sat down while Urahara went to the kitchen to boil water and prepare something to eat. As the sick taicho waited, he looked around the room and noticed that there were no other occupants in the house. He did not hear any other voices and he did not feel any other reiatsu apart from his own and Urahara's.

Urahara came back into the room with a tray and offered a teacup to Ukitake who promptly accepted it.

"Where are the others Urahara-san?"

"Oh, they had some errands to do. Nothing to worry about, they will be back in a few days."

_A few days? _Ukitake wondered what they could possibly be doing. Ukitake shrugged inwardly, dismissing the thought as he sipped his tea.

"Ukitake-san, was there anything you needed me to help you with? Is Unohana taicho's medication not working to your liking?" Urahara thought it be best to go straight to the point. He did not like to see the captain sick like this.

"I wondered if you could make some adjustments to the medication. I feel fatigued most of the day and it is becoming worse as the days go by."

"Hmm…I'll have to run some tests to get a clear idea of what is going on."

"Thank you Urahara-san. I am truly grateful that someone like you is around. Unohana taicho has done all she could for me - bless her soul. And I couldn't possibly go to the 12th division captain for help. He honestly scares me a little."

Urahara laughed at this piece of honesty as he sipped his tea. It was true that the 12th division captain was a bit on the crazy side. The next moments were passed in silence as the two ate and drank.

"Well then I'll go do the necessary preparations for the tests I'll need to perform. I'll come get you when I am ready, Ukitake-san. You are welcome to roam around as you wish." Urahara gave Ukitake a big grin as he stood. He then made his way down the hallway, no doubt to his room.

Ukitake sat a couple more minutes, drinking his tea peacefully. He was happy for the quiet, which he rarely got in his division. His lieutenants never left him alone, not even for a second. He thought back at how he was able to come to the real world in the first place.

He was at his desk in the 13th division, doing paperwork as usual. His lieutenants were in the same room, ready for action if ever something were to go wrong with their taicho. Ukitake had then stood up and went for the door, his lieutenants already at his heels.

"Where are you going taicho?" one said.

"I will come and join you in case you need my services," the other said.

"No! I will go! I was concerned for taicho first!" the first shot back.

"But-"

"Enough!" The combination of their bickering and his fatigue was getting to his head. "I would just like to take a walk outside to get fresh air. You do not need to assist me, thank you. However, I would like you two to do a special service for me. Take this letter to Kyoraku taicho."

The two lieutenants were excited for the special mission. "Anything you say, taicho!"

Said taicho handed them the letter and quickly made his way outside.

Ukitake laughed as he thought of the words he wrote in the letter. He had written to Shunsui that the letter was all a ruse to get his lieutenants away from him. He also explained that he was heading for the real world to visit Urahara-san for medication.

Ukitake sipped the last drops remaining in his teacup. He looked around Urahara's living room, looking for anything of interest. He didn't know much about the ex-captain's past. He only knew him as a person who would lock himself up in his lab, never seeing the light of day. The white haired taicho stood up, deciding that it would be nice to take a walk around the house - after all, he was curious about Urahara. He made his way to the front of the house where the shop was. His hand skimmed through the products that were on display on the shelves, examining what the ex-taicho sold at his shop. He noticed that there was a candy section full of yummy treats. He smiled at the display, happy to see the vast selection of some of his favorite treats.

Ukitake left the shop after several minutes of exploring and made his way to a room, which had a sitting chair and a small bookshelf. There were not many books in the shelf that sparked Ukitake's interest. However, he found a small black book that was unlabeled. Curiosity overtook the taicho as his hand gripped the back of the small book. He pulled the book off the shelf and immediately looked at the front cover. There was nothing written. It was just a plain black leather book with no embossing or lettering of any kind on the front or the back. Ukitake frowned at this suspicious book as he opened it slowly. It had several blank pages in it, save a few that had some scribbles of illegible writing here and there. As he skimmed through the pages, a piece of paper fell out of the book and landed on the floor.

Ukitake noticed the paper on the floor and bent down to pick it up. He flipped it around and noticed that it was a photograph. A warm feeling swept over Ukitake's heart as he looked at the photo. Urahara was there, with a clean-shaven face and no hat covering his eyes. This was the first time Ukitake saw his eyes. They were the color of a mid-afternoon sky, truly beautiful Ukitake thought. _It's a shame he wears that hat all the time; his eyes are stunning, full of emotion. _A younger Ururu and Jinta were also in the photograph along with Tessai, who still had the same mustache. Ukitake chuckled when he noticed that Ururu had a mesh of hair in between her eyes that parted in two just above her nose, exactly like Urahara had his own hair. Ukitake couldn't help but think of the two as parent and child they were so similar.

Ukitake's thoughts were interrupted as he felt a hand on his shoulder. He gasped in surprised, jumping a little with fright. The photograph slipped through his hands and fell back to the floor. Ukitake turned around and saw Urahara bent down, retrieving the photograph. Urahara stood back up and looked down at the photo. Ukitake felt a heat rise up to his cheeks, embarrassed that he was caught snooping through Urahara's personal belongings. He noticed that Urahara had kept his hand on Ukitake's shoulder; even as he had bent down to pick up the photograph. They were now very close in proximity. Ukitake could clearly hear every breath Urahara took. He tried to read what Urahara was thinking as the latter looked at the photograph. Unfortunately, Urahara was still sporting that old hat of his, so his eyes were shadowed.

"Is everything all right Urahara-san? I'm sorry if I invaded your privacy…"

Urahara looked up at the man, looking as if he had forgotten he was there.

"No, you did nothing wrong. And I am alright. The photograph just brought back some memories is all… My, the children have grown so much since then." The last bit seemed more as a thought Urahara had said out loud, because he was now staring back at the photograph, not paying any more attention to Ukitake.

Ukitake placed his hand over the one that was still on his shoulder. A bright smile, unlike any one of those famous grins that usually occupied the face, formed on Urahara's features. _I wonder what he's thinking. _Ukitake felt at ease watching the ex-taicho reminisce in silence. It was nice to see someone at peace.

"You really do care for these children," Ukitake thought out loud.

"I care for them as if I were their father," replied Urahara, lifting his head to look at Ukitake. "I'm grateful they are a part of my life. I had forgotten about this picture. Thank you Ukitake-san for finding it." Urahara turned the hand, which rested on Ukitake's shoulder, so that he could grip Ukitake's hand. Ukitake replied with a genuine smile and a small squeeze of the hand.

Urahara placed the photograph inside his robes, a hidden pocket no doubt inside. "I have finished the preparations. We can begin testing now." Ukitake placed the book back on the shelf and followed the ex-taicho.

Ukitake returned to Soul Society the following morning. Urahara said that it would take a few days to analyze the results of the tests and thought it would be best to return home before Ukitake's fukotaichos got worried. _They are probably already worried_, thought Ukitake, chuckling inwardly.

The day was spent no differently than any other day. Shunsui had passed by to chat - looking for updates of the visit to Urahara's - Ukitake's fukotaichos were as clinging as ever and the paperwork was slowly pilling up.

Night had come at last. Ukitake climbed into his soft fuiton and fell asleep instantly. Suddenly, Ukitake woke with a start, coughing hysterically. He felt a terrible pain in his chest as he clung his hand to his heart. Blood splattered on the sheets as he coughed. He was having trouble breathing as blood shot out of his mouth. The pain went straight to his head and he passed out in a pool of blood.

TBC


	2. Unconscious

A/N: I'd like to thank my three reviewers: TheSmallestGhost, Ceretis Paribus and Tutti Frutti. You have given me a reason to continue on with this story, which I thought no one would bother to read, seeing as the pairing is odd and not popular.

* * *

"Taicho?"

Kotetsu Kiyone and Kotsubaki Sentaro, Ukitake's lieutenants, quietly walked into the bedroom to see if their captain was awake. They quickly noticed something was wrong: their taicho was lying in an odd position. They walked closer to get a better view and saw blood on the sheets and around Ukitake's mouth.

"Taicho!!" The two lieutenants were shocked. Kotsubaki quickly held up his captain to see if he was still alive. "He's still breathing."

"I'll contact my sis!" The female lieutenant rushed out of the room, running to the fourth division.

A rush of fourth division shinigami quickly entered Ukitaki's room. They put him on a stretcher and quickly made their way to their division.

-----

"What happened?" Isane asked her sister.

"I don't know, we just found him like this. Please sister, will he be alright?"

"We'll see. Unohana taicho will know what to do."

-----

Unohana taicho quickly made her way down the long hallway. She had heard that something happened to a captain, but she did not get all the details. She couldn't find her lieutenant, or the lieutenant of the taicho who was brought to the fourth division.

Upon entering the room, Unohana saw her fukotaicho Isane along with Kiyone and Sentaro crowding around the bed that lay on the left side of the room. The fourth division captain quickly understood that it was Ukitake who had been brought.

"What has happened?"

"We found Ukitake taicho in his bed, blood covering the sheets."

Unohana passed a hand over Ukitake's face. "He slipped into a coma."

Quickly, Unohana calmly gave orders to her lieutenant and other fourth division officers. She had to keep herself composed in order to maintain her division. A mask was placed over Ukitake's face and he was hooked up to different tubes and wires. People were rushing around, trying to get their orders done.

The division was in a panic when the news of Ukitake had circulated. Without delay, the news spread over Sereitei as well.

-----

Ise Nanao opened the door to her captain's office. Shunsui sat lazily in his chair with his feet on his desk next to the mountains of untouched paper work. He looked up, surprised at the sudden, yet welcome appearance of his favorite subordinate.

"Taicho! I have bad news!" Nanao said in an exasperated voice. She had learnt of Ukitake's health from another lieutenant on her way to work, so she ran to her division's office as fast as she could to warn her taicho.

"Nanao-chan, calm down. What is the matter," Shunsui answered as lazily as ever, not reacting to her frantic tone. He figured his fukotaicho was being overly dramatic all in effort to get him to do his paper work.

"Ukitake taicho is in the fourth division. He is in a coma," said Nanao, still out of breath.

Shunsui, wide eyed, rose hurriedly out of his chair and shunpoed to the fourth division.

Nanao felt the wind of the shunpo brush on her side. She felt a terrible pain seeing her taicho's expression, an expression that is usually a happy one. Yet, she felt warmth in her heart: seeing her taicho care for someone so strongly.

-----

Shunsui arrived at the fourth division in a flash. He made his way to Unohana's office first.

He opened the office door without so much of a knock as a warning of his presence.

"Unohana-san, where is Jushiro?" Shusui blurted out.

"Kyoraku-san…please follow me." Unohana had a saddened look, afraid of showing him his best friend in such a state of weakness.

They arrived in front of Ukitake's room, but before she opened the door, she said: "I'm sorry Kyoraku-san, there is nothing I can do to help him. He has an unknown disease, and I can't seem to get a hold of his cellular activity…" Unohana trailed off, seeing Shunsui's expression.

Shunsui was only half listening as he pushed the door open himself, eager to see his best friend. Ukitake was lying still in his bed, with a mask over his face. There were tubes inserted in his arms and mouth, feeding the body with liquids that Shunsui did not understand what their use was for. He now stood next to Ukitake's body, gazing at his friend with hurt filled eyes. He took one of Ukitake's ice-cold hands into his warm ones, causing a shiver down his spine. _He feels dead…_

Shunsui frowned. He needed to help his friend, no matter what. An idea flashed in his mind, filling it with a resolve no one could break. He softly brushed Ukitake's temple and quickly made his way out, heading to the first division.

-----

"General Yamamoto, I wish to speak with you." Shunsui had entered the first division's office, bowing as he spoke to his sensei.

"What is it Shunsui?" General Yamamoto already knew what was wrong. He had heard of Ukitake's health, so he had not doubt that Shunsui was here for that reason.

"I want permission to bring Jushiro to the real world…to Urahara-san."

General Yamamoto was surprised at the request. "Why would you need to bring him to Urahara?"

"Jushiro told me the other day that he went to see Urahara-san concerning his health. He told me that the man had done some tests on him. If Unohana-san hasn't got a clue what to do with Jushiro, I must take him to Urahara-san. He might be able to help."

"And risk another incident like what happened to Kuchiki Rukia? I will not allow it. The man has been banished from Soul Society for a reason. You must understand that the rules in Soul Society must be followed. I'm sure Unohana will be able to cure Jushiro. You must have _patience_ Shunsui."

Anger filled every vain in Shunsui. Flames danced in his eyes as he looked at his sensei. "Are you willing to risk losing your student because of a silly rule?" Shunsui spat.

"Calm down Shunsui. Anger will solve nothing. As I have said before, Urahara has broken many laws and has put people in danger. How can we trust the man with one of our captains?"

"But what if he can help Jushiro?"

"Whatever Urahara finds, I am sure Unohana can find herself. That is all"

"NO! I'm bringing Jushiro to Urahara. I don't care of the consequences. I must help my friend, no matter what. Do you really think it would be worth it to lose two more captains, General Yamamoto?"

Yamamoto stared at his student. He understood the strong bond between his two favorite students and knew that he would not be able to separate them. The Gotei 13 had three divisions without captains: Aizen, Gin and Tousen betraying Soul Society not long ago. He knew he could not afford to lose two more captains in effort to maintain the laws of Soul Society. Two captains that he has personally trained to become powerful leaders. Their twin swords were also unique to Soul Society and it would be unwise to lose their power.

"I will grant you permission to bring Jushiro to Urahara, but on one condition."

Shunsui, excited that the General has changed his mind, nodded his head wanting to hear his condition.

"You must return back to Soul Society after you have brought Jushiro to Urahara. I cannot afford for you to leave your division at such a crucial time. Aizen may attack at any moment and I need you in Soul Society."

"Yes, of course." Shunsui bowed and made his way to the door, but stopped and looked over his shoulder to face the general. "Thank you sensei." Shunsui's tone was sincere.

The general nodded and watched his student walk out. A sigh escaped his lips as he gazed out the window, lost in thought.

-----

Shunsui did not lose anytime. He carefully took Ukitake from his bed - Unohana at his side making sure Shunsui did not break anything – and made his way to a portal connecting to the real world.

As he made his way to Urahara's, he kept checking his limp friend in his arms. Ukitake was still unconscious and it pained him to see him like that. _Please Urahara, I hope you can help him._

-----_  
_

Urahara was sitting outside, enjoying the beautiful sunny weather. The temperature was warm, but not suffocating. There was a peaceful breeze that flowed, carrying the sent of flowers. He thought it best to take a break from his research, his eyes feeling tired from the lack of rest. It was a perfect day to take a break after all.

Footsteps in the distance caught his attention. He saw something pink coming towards him, but could not see who it was.

"Urahara-san." The owner of the voice was now closer and Urahara realized that it was Shunsui, holding a very lifeless Ukitake in his arms. There was a pained and pleading expression in Shunsui's face. Urahara felt a jolt to his heart, not wanting to hear what happened, but his mouth opened automatically to ask.

"What happened?"

TBC

* * *

A/N: I can't wait to write the next chapters! I'm so excited about this story!!! 


	3. Pondering

Shunsui looked at Urahara, clearly at a loss for words. However his eyes said it all – there was an urgency and sadness creeping in the irises. Urahara felt an uncomfortable shiver run down his spine as he looked into those hurt-filled eyes. The ex-taicho rushed over to the limp body that lay in Shunsui's arms and placed his index and middle finger on Ukitake's pale neck, checking for a pulse.

"Bring him inside. Hurry!"

The men rushed inside as fast as they could. Not a soul was in the place: Ururu, Jinta and Tessai still were not back from their errands. Ukitake was gently placed on a futon in a vacant room near the end of the hall. Urahara rushed out of the room and quickly returned with some equipment and bottles. Ukitake was once again hooked up to several life support machines, just as he was in the fourth division. Shunsui stood back, letting the man do his job. He felt anxious – he wasn't sure whether or not Urahara was capable of curing his sick friend anymore. He appeared to be doing nothing different than Unohana, so he began to doubt.

"Unohana-san already did that and nothing changed in his condition!"

Urahara looked up at the taicho and frowned. "These are simply life support machines. If I don't hook him up to these, he will not be able to breath or provide his body with nutrients on his own. These machines will not cure him, they just help him so he doesn't get worse," Urahara calmly explained to the frazzled taicho.

"Then what can we do to help him get better?"

"To do that, I need to know what is wrong with him. What happened to him?" Urahara asked for a second time.

"His lieutenants found him in his bed with blood around his mouth and on his sheets," explained Shunsui. "Unohana-san confirmed that he had slipped into a coma when he had arrived at the fourth division. That is all I know."

Urahara took a needle out of one his sterile bags and drew some blood out of Ukitake's arm. Shunsui looked away. Even though he has slashed countless enemies with his swords, he could not take the sight of blood being taking out of the body with the aid of a small pointy syringe. He thought it was something that should not be done – it was simply wrong to take blood out of one's own body unless it was out of anger or hatred.

"You can look now, I have finished." Urahara had noticed Shunsui looking away and thought it funny to see a strong taicho so weak at the sight of innocent blood. "I'm going to go analyze his blood. You may stay here if you wish."

Shunsui considered the invitation for a moment. "I really must get back to Soul Society. General Yamamoto demands it…"

"Alright. You are welcome to visit anytime."

Urahara left the room, leaving Shunsui alone with Ukitake. Shunsui took the sick taicho's cold hand in his one hand while the other brushed a hair away from the pale face. He looked down at the sickly looking man, feeling a weight pulling down on his heart. "Please get better Jyuushiro…" With that, the captain set out and returned to Soul Society.

------

Urahara sat on his stool, hunched over a microscope. He was so deep in concentration that he did not notice the black cat prowling over to him. Urahara jumped when the cat landed next to the microscope.

"Yoruichi! Be careful!"

The cat transformed instantly into a beautiful woman, sitting gracefully on the side of the table, next to Urahara. Her purple hair was in a high ponytail, but the hair was long enough to drape over her shoulder. Urahara averted his eyes, knowing that whenever the woman transformed, she would be naked.

"Oh Kisuke, you never look at me when I turn back into a human," Yoruichi purred.

"Yoruichi, you got cat hair all over the place! How am I supposed to get conclusive results when there is cat DNA everywhere?"

"My, Kisuke…You seem to be in a mood." Yoruichi paused, observing the ex-taicho who still refused to meet her gaze. _How can the man resist looking at my body? He's not even blushing! _"I noticed that you are harboring a certain taicho down the hall. What's going on? What's wrong with him?"

"That's what I am trying to figure out. Now if you'd please leave me, I really need to get back to work."

Yoruichi frowned. The ex-taicho was never this mean to Yoruichi before. She must have touched a nerve. She decided it would be best to leave Urahara alone for the time being, so she left the room.

Urahara felt bad for having been mad at Yoruichi. They have been friends for a very long time, so why did it irritate him when she passed by? He pondered this momentarily before setting back to work.

------

Night had finally fallen. The sky was a deep indigo with a starry blanket wrapped around it, no cloud in sight. The cool breeze that was present in the afternoon remained during the night, but the air was chilly due to the lack of sun. Yoruichi was lying on the roof, staring up at the sky. Thoughts traveled through her mind as time passed. _How long has Kisuke been in his lab? _Yoruichi snapped out of her thoughts and went back into the shop. She made sure to knock on Urahara's door before going into his lab, afraid of him getting mad at her again. She fisted her hand and tapped gently on the door.

"Kisuke, may I come in?"

To Yoruichi's relief, the voice that answered was in a happier tone. "Of course Yoruichi!"

Yoruichi slid the door open and set foot inside. The room was dark, save for a small lamp lit by Urahara's side. The man was still hunched over his microscope, pausing sometimes to take notes on a pad. She walked forward slowly, staying cautious despite the happier tone Urahara was in. She knew that he used that tone sometimes to mask his emotions. She sat down next to him, observing all the small movements he was doing with his hands. She drifted into a daydream, mesmerized by the small actions the other was doing. A voice finally brought her back to reality.

"Is there something you need Yoruichi?" said Urahara with a slight chuckle. He was now looking at her and smiled when he noticed the woman was wearing clothing.

"Kisuke, you've been working too long. I think it best if you take a break. Getting sick is not something you want, is it?" Yoruichi answered with a smirk on her face.

"Heh, I suppose I should take a break. Thank you Yoruichi."

He stretched his arms over his head and yawned before getting up and making his way to the door. Yoruichi followed him out and walked with him down the hallway. They both paused when they got to Ukitake's door. "I'm going to check on him for a second." Yoruichi nodded and followed the man through the door.

Urahara examined the other for a bit, but saw no change in his condition. He still lay there unconscious and as pale as ever.

"Kisuke, maybe we should change him. He has blood all over his nightshirt."

Urahara nodded and left the room to get the man something to wear. He came back with a pair of his own pajamas, which were of course green. Urahara looked around puzzled. "How are we going to do this?"

Yoruichi placed herself above Ukitake's head and propped him up gently in her lap. She began undoing the top buttons of his shirt. Urahara approached closer and pulled the blankets down smoothly off Ukitake's body. "Can you undo the rest of the buttons Kisuke? I can't reach them from here." Urahara undid the remaining buttons, which exposed Ukitake's chest fully. Yoruichi noticed that Urahara had stilled when he had finished undoing the buttons. She swore she saw him blush for a second, despite the room being dimly lit. _Why does he blush when he sees this man's chest, but not my naked body? _Yoruichi propped the sick shinigami up off her lap so that she could pull the sleeves off his arms. Urahara helped her by holding most of the weight of the man by the shoulders. She took the fresh shirt and placed the sleeves over the arms. Urahara buttoned it up and Yoruichi placed him back down on the futon. Afterwards, they both stood there looking at the job they accomplished. "Should we change his pants?" Yoruichi asked. She couldn't believe what she saw next for a second time tonight. Another blush! "Ah…I don't think it necessary Yoruichi," said Urahara with an overly enthusiastic tone he always adopted. All that was missing was the fan and he would be back to normal.

------

Urahara had gotten up early the next day, checking on Ukitake before setting back to work in the lab. He was determined to figure out what was wrong with the taicho.

He heard someone walk softly into his lab. "Kisuke, you're up early," said Yoruichi with a yawn.

"I couldn't sleep. You are up early as well. Not something a cat usually does."

"Yes well, I have a meeting with Soifon this morning and I don't want to be late."

Urahara continued his work while Yoruichi observed him for a few moments. "Do you think you can cure him?"

Urahara flinched at the question. He did not like to think of himself as someone who gives up when there is a challenge in sight. "I am beginning to understand what is happening with his cells, but I don't know what the cause is."

"Well at least you are a step closer," said Yoruichi encouragingly.

Urahara gave Yoruichi a genuine smile, touched by the words she spoke. She placed a gentle hand on his shoulder and squeezed.

"I best be off now. Try not to overwork yourself Kisuke. Sometimes the answer to a puzzle is right in front of you, but because you are so tired you don't realize it."

With those words from the wise, Yoruichi left the room.

Urahara bent back over on his microscope and continued his work.

------

Hours later and Urahara was still in his lab. He heard footsteps down the hall and figured it was Tessai and the other two back from their errands. He reluctantly got off his stool and made his way to the kitchen.

"Ah hello there!" Urahara greeted with a big grin. His fan had made an appearance at last, covering his face.

"Urahara-dono! I'm sorry we took so long. I didn't expect the supplier would give us such a hard time."

"Hmm, Jinta and Ururu didn't help?"

"This supplier was not swayed by the innocent looks of children unfortunately."

"Ah, that is too bad. So we did not get any discounts then?" Urahara was now fanning himself.

"No…"

Jinta had his arms crossed and his face was in a frown. "I can't believe you used us to get a lower price Urahara-san. We aren't children anymore!"

"Ah, I am sorry Jinta. I will consider this next time." He patted the boy on the head, which made Jinta scowl at him.

Ururu was busy making some tea while the others were talking. A hand was placed on her shoulder and she jumped by the surprise. She looked up and saw Urahara next to her.

"How are you doing Ururu?" said Urahara with a genuine smile on his face.

"I'm okay. You look tired Urahara-san. Would you like some tea?"

"Yes, that would be very nice." Ururu blushed and went back to work.

The four sat down around a table and drank their tea.

"I must inform you all that we have an extra occupant in the house."

"Yes, I felt a strange reiatsu when I came in, but it was very faint," said Tessai.

"It is Ukitake taicho. He is very ill and I was asked to find out what is wrong with him."

He went on explaining what had happened and what he had found out with his research.

"Do you think you can look at him Tessai? Tell me what you think."

The two men went to Ukitake's room while the other two went to the front of the shop to sweep. Tessai kneeled and bent over the sick taicho, radiating a glow from his hands that were spread over the limp body.

"I can heal his cells, but…there is something wrong…"

"What is it?"

"When the cell is healed, it is attacked seconds later. There is something killing his cells."

"Yes, I saw this too. What do you think it could be?"

"I'm surprised you haven't figured it out already Urahara-dono. After all, you are the master at it."

"You think it's a poison?"

"It has to be. What else would kill the cells of a shinigami?"

Urahara pondered this new revelation. He had almost forgotten that shinigami are not like humans: they did not get sick if they are in their spirit form for a long period of time. But why would a poison affect his body so strongly despite the taicho having been in spirit form?

"It must be a poison made by a shinigami if it has affected his spirit form," Urahara thought out loud.

Tessai frowned in thought. "Yes, it has to be. If only he were awake, we could ask him where he has been lately."

"No matter. We will try to find an anti-venom even though we don't know the source. I'll talk to Benihime, see what she thinks."

Tessai nodded and continued to examine the limp body with his glowing hands. Urahara left the room and returned to his lab.

TBC


	4. Benihime's help

"What can be the cause of the poison?"

"Kisuke, that is irrelevant at this point. We will never know until we talk to the man."

"Do you think you can detect the type of poison he has?"

"Of course, I am familiar with all types."

"How should we proceed?"

"Dip me in his blood."

Urahara took a vile of Ukitake's blood and did what he was told. There was a red glow radiating from the blood, which died down moments later.

"Have you figured it out?"

"You question my expertise?"

"Mah, calm down," Urahara chuckled. "You know that I think you are the most powerful and beautiful of your kind and that I am privileged to have you."

The compliment was ignored. "I will instruct you on how to make the anti-venom now."

_Pushy woman this one…_Urahara thought.

Urahara received a deadly stare in return for his thought.

* * *

Urahara remained in his lab for hours working on the anti-venom. Hours eventually turned into days, and finally Urahara emerged from his room.

"Tessai, please join me in Ukitake taicho's room," Urahara said as he drifted in the kitchen.

Tessai stopped his working and quickly followed Urahara. The two men knelt down beside Ukitake's futon.

"I need you to repair his cells again while we give him the anti-venom. The anti-venom only stops the poison, it does not repair the damage."

Tessai nodded and went into place, hands hovering over the limp body but paused at the sudden sound coming from the machines hooked to Ukitake's body. Urahara looked up at the machines with eyes wide and his face slightly paled.

"Shit! His body must be reacting to the poison…We have to hurry!"

The heart monitor's slow rhythmic beep then died into a hum. The air was thick as the two men felt their eardrums ring at the sound of the hum. Both sets of eyes jerked toward the machine, widened when they saw the thin line race across the screen in what seemed to be a never ending stretch.

Tessai returned his wide eyes to the limp body. His hands glowed, a bead of sweat dripping down from his temple. The heartbeat was not coming back.

Urahara grabbed a clean needle and filled it with the anti-venom, keeping his hands steady despite his nervousness. He then pierced Ukitake's pale skin and pressed the red liquid in his body hastily.

Several seconds passed with no change in condition. Ukitake's heartbeat has not yet returned and the anti-venom was not giving a reaction.

Both men were now sweating profusely waiting for something to happen. Tessai tried his best to maintain concentration over his glowing hands, but it was beginning to become too difficult to ward off the poison with his healing. The number of cells dying was growing to be higher in numbers than the cells being repaired.

_C'mon, work! _Urahara was staring at Ukitake, unable to do anything else but pray for the anti-venom to do its magic.

Ukitake's body suddenly shook violently. Faint beeps returned on the monitor. "What's happening?" Urahara asked breathlessly.

"His c-cells…are r-repairing. The anti-venom…seems to be k-killing the…poison," Tessai said between pants, exhausted from repairing the cells.

The body then froze, still as ice – however the beep on the monitor remained. Blood dripped out of Ukitake's drooping mouth. "Something's wrong…the anti-venom is killing the good cells," Tessai said, still keeping his glowing hands over the body.

_Shit, Benihime! You said this would work! _Urahara thought.

_The poison went into the next stage faster than expected, _was his response in his head.

_What can we do?_

Tessai looked up at Urahara, frowning when he saw the blonde's eyes dancing back and forth under his hat. "What is it Urahara-dono?"

"Benihime thinks that the anti-venom will work, but it will cause permanent damage to the body."

"Urahara-dono, I can't keep this up for a long period of time. It's draining a lot of my energy healing these cells."

"Yes I know…Can you keep going for another hour? I'll try to figure something out in the lab."

Tessai nodded and returned his concentration on the body.

* * *

"Why is the anti-venom attacking his body!?"

"I told you, the poison went into the next stage, so the anti-venom can't tell which cell is poison and which is healthy," a soft, almost hissing, female voice replied.

"How can we reverse that?"

"You are so very impatient Kisuke."

Urahara drew a breath, trying to regain his posture that he usually flawlessly keeps in check.

"I cannot afford for this man to die. His life rests on my hands at the request of Soul Society."

"Yes, I know this, but why do you care about Soul Society? What is this man to you Kisuke?"

"That is irrelevant Benihime. All that matters is for this man to be healed."

"You confuse me sometimes."

Benihime went on explaining what needed to be changed in the anti-venom. Urahara listened and worked on the cure as she spoke.

* * *

Urahara stepped out of his lab and into Ukitake's room over an hour later. Tessai was still hunched over the cold body, hands glowing.

"I'm sorry for taking so long," Urahara said as he quickly made his way towards the glowing.

"His condition has not improved. I can only heal the cells the anti-venom is damaging. I am not able to heal those the poison is killing. The poison is working too fast." Exhaustion was evident in Tessai's voice.

"I have another anti-venom that will help." Urahara filled a syringe with the new liquid and inserted the needle in Ukitake's arm.

"This should neutralize the poison."

The two men stared at Ukitake's pale form, half expecting something miraculous to happen right away.

Several days passed. The anti-venom was able to rid the body of the poison, but the damaged cell count was still high. It was not until Tessai had finished healing the damaged cells over a period of several days that eyes slowly fluttered open on the pale figure…

TBC

* * *

A/N Sorry for the short chapter. The purpose of this fic was not the whole healing Ukitake part so I was getting some writer's block. But now that Ukitake is awake, the fun begins!!! Stay tuned for some bankai action! 


	5. Helpless

A piercing light blinded Ukitake's vision as he hesitantly opened his eyes. He frowned instinctively and shut his eyes before blinking a few times to get used to the strong light.

He heard a rush of footsteps approaching him but could not find the energy to look over to see who it was that was near him.

"Ukitake-san?" he heard someone say.

He tried shifting, but felt a terrible pain in his stomach as he did so. As a low growl escaped his throat from his attempt at moving, firm hands suddenly held his shoulders down, preventing him from trying to move again. Ukitake blinked, trying to focus on who it was that held him.

"Ukitake-san, try not to move," the same voice said.

Ukitake's vision finally cleared revealing to him a man bent over him with a grin plastered on his face. His eyes were shadowed by a hat, which sat atop his shaggy blond hair.

"U-Urahara-san?" Ukitake said with a hoarse whisper – clearly his voice had not been used in many days. Ukitake unconsciously lifted his hand towards Urahara's hat, wanting to rid the thing that shadowed the man's eyes. However, Urahara caught Ukitake's hand before he had the chance to grip the hat.

"Looks like you are back to normal," Urahara chuckled as he placed Ukitake's hand back down.

"W-what happened? Where am I?"

"You went into a coma and you are presently at my shop." Urahara answered calmly.

"H-How…?" The news caught Ukitake off guard. Overwhelmed, he felt his heart crawl up his throat as he coughed furiously.

"Calm down Ukitake-san." Urahara held Ukitake from the back of his neck as he lifted him up into a sitting position. Blood rushed out of his head as he sat up too fast. He felt himself become weak as he continued to cough. Urahara gently held the slumped figure against his chest as the man struggled to regain his breath. The calm heartbeat that resounded in Ukitake's ears finally calmed him down, feeling at ease now.

Urahara looked down at the man huddled against his chest. Ukitake looked very weak – his eyes looked tired and his skin looked paler than usual.

Noticing that the taicho has regained his composure, Urahara let go of Ukitake to see if the man had enough energy to sit up on his own. As Ukitake braced himself to regain some balance, he opened his mouth to continue asking questions. However, Urahara, as he placed a hand on the sickly man's shoulder, interrupted saying: "I think it best we leave the questions after you have recovered. You need to regain your strength first."

"B-but-"

"I promise you are okay now. You just need your energy back. There is nothing to worry about."

Urahara gave the other a small smile before he stood and made his way out the room.

* * *

The next few days, Ukitake lay in his bed to rest, unable to build enough energy to stand up. Kyoraku had been informed of Ukitake's condition and had visited the sickly taicho several times.

"You know, you had me pretty worried," Kyoraku said as he lounged in a near by chair.

"It's not like it's my fault," Ukitake replied, sitting up from his bed.

"I've been meaning to ask you about that actually. How did you get poisoned?"

"I don't remember." Ukitake's brain hurt as he tried to recover those lost memories.

Kyoraku did not press any further. "When do you think you can come back to Soul Society? Old-man Yama keeps asking me when you are coming back and your lieutenants are going pretty crazy too, you know. Thank God Rukia-chan has been helping the division out. She's a respectable woman."

"Yes, she is. I am very glad to have her in my division." Ukitake gave Kyoraku a weak smile.

"Anyway, there isn't much to report. Your division is doing well, considering."

"What news of Aizen?"

"There have been stray Arrancar that have been roaming around the living world. The tenth division can't figure out their purpose for doing so. They don't appear to be under Aizen's orders, because they seem to be acting on their own accord. Anyway, just be careful not to roam around outside, once you can get up anyway…"

"Hmm, maybe they are rebelling…"

"Maybe so, but don't let yourself worry about such things. You need to rest. I'll come back another day to check up on you."

Kyoraku patted his friend's shoulder and made his way out. Urahara entered the room soon after with a tray of tea, which he laid on a table near Ukitake's bed.

"Kyoraku-san left early. I thought we would have enjoyed a cup of tea with you." Urahara said with a grin.

"He needed to get back to his division…Nanao-chan probably needs him to sign documents."

"Ah, I see." Urahara chuckled as he poured some tea into two cups and gave one to Ukitake.

"Have you heard anything of the Arrancar, Urahara-san?"

"It's Kisuke, and yes I have heard."

"Oh, can you tell me any details on the matter? Shunsui wouldn't tell me much."

"I probably don't know any more than what Kyoraku-san told you. The attacks are random. Yoruichi-san has been looking into it for me while I stay at the shop."

"I'm sorry. I've been a burden lately."

"Ah, no no!" Urahara waved his hand back and forth. "How can I not help someone who is in need?"

"I'm sorry again…and thank you."

"Well, you'll just have to owe me one, one day!" Urahara replied with a chuckle.

"Is Yoruichi-san patrolling now?"

"No actually, she had to go to Soul Society to talk with Soi Fon."

Ukitake looked around the room he sat in while he took another sip of his tea. The room was not heavily furnished: there was merely the bed he sat in, a bedside table, a comfy looking chair and a lamp. His gaze traveled over to the window, showing a late afternoon sky. The sky was a beautiful shade of light blue with some early signs of orange as the sun was approaching the horizon. Ukitake's thoughts began to wonder as he continued to look out at the sky. Suddenly, something occurred to him.

"Uraha…euh…Kisuke-san? Where are Tessai, Jinta and Ururu? I haven't seen them today."

"Oh, actually, I sent them on some errands. They should be back soon. Do you need Tessai's assistance? I can try doing some healing kido, but I can't guarantee you the best of results," Urahara said with a grin and a hand scratching the back of his head.

"Uh…no, no, I'm fine. I was just wondering where they were."

Urahara smiled and stood up, taking the tray with him as he walked to the door. "If you need anything, I'll be in my room." Ukitake nodded and Urahara walked out.

* * *

The sun was nearly set as deep shades of red overtook the western sky. As Ukitake still sat on his bed gazing at the bloodstained sky, he couldn't help but feel the sky was sending him a message. Blood must have been spilt somewhere. Gathering all his strength, Ukitake attempted to stand up. Staggering slightly, he finally got on his feet and shuffled his way over to the window. As his eyes lay upon the view from the window, his heart skipped a beat - someone was running towards the shop but fell to the ground before reaching the front porch. Ukitake recognized the small figure on the ground as Jinta. And he looked injured. Panic arose in Ukitake's heart.

"Urahara-san!"

No answer. Ukitake's voice must have been too weak to be projected loud enough. He staggered his way to the door with great difficulty.

"Kisuke-san!" he attempted again when he opened his door. Still no answer.

Bracing himself against the wall, he hurried as quickly as he could towards Urahara's room. Ukitake's head began to spin from the sudden movements and the sense of urgency. He paused for a moment to collect his breath, cursing himself for still being so weak. He bent over, trying to get blood to rush back into his head. Thinking it was alright to move again, he lifted his head and began to walk once more. However, his head was still spun and he started to see a black haze in his line of vision. He crouched down before he would faint and cried out again: "Kisuke!"

Ukitake felt a hand grab onto his arm. "Jyuushiro? What are you doing out of bed?"

"Jinta…" Ukitake felt out of breath.

"What about Jinta? What's wrong?"

"He's injured…in yard, outside."

Urahara quickly took Ukitake in his arms (bridal style) and brought him back to his room in record speed. "Stay here, don't move anymore," Urahara ordered before rushing out.

Ukitake couldn't help but worry about Jinta. And where were the others?

* * *

"Jinta!" Urahara knelt down beside the boy.

"Kisuke, help…Ururu…hurt. Arrancar." Jinta still seemed out of breath from the running.

"Arrancar? Where? Jinta please, I need you to tell me where they are."

"Tessai and Ururu…at city park. Hurry!"

Urahara quickly brought Jinta inside to Ukitake's room and rushed back outside before Ukitake could ask what happened.

* * *

A piercing scream followed by someone's loud sick laughter traveled through the air. Urahara's heart skipped a beat when he recognized the limp body on the ground near the disgusting Arrancar's feet. Tessai was rushing over to Ururu's body, muttering a kido spell that ended up being to weak to even scratch the Arrancar.

"Tessai!" Urahara yelled when he got close enough.

Tessai looked around. "Urahara-dono!"

"Watch out!" Urahara screamed, but it was too late. The Arrancar took advantage of Tessai's distraction and sent him across the field with a blow to the chest. Another piercing laughter rang in Urahara's ears.

The Arrancar stepped forward, crushing Ururu's leg. There was a snap, but Ururu didn't seem to react. Urahara felt himself growing weak and unable to move as he looked at the small body under the Arrancar's foot, a revelation striking his heart. Another ugly laugh escaped the Arrancar's lips, seeming to push Urahara out of his frozen state and trigger his anger and vengeance.

Urahara unsheathed his sword.

.

.

.

"Bankai."

TBC

* * *

I'm so very sorry it took me so long to post this. School took up a lot of my time, and lack of motivation was not helping me either. Heh… Anyway, the next chapter is half done. I had written most of it when I had begun writing this story, so that's why it's almost done. :)

The next chapter is the last, so look forward to it! Oh and by the way, I decided to keep this fic clean of yaoi. Oh well! If you want yaoi, go read my other fics


	6. Bankai and tears

"Ban-" Urahara's blue reiatsu swarmed around his body like a tornado. "-Kai." The reiatsu transformed into a red blood color, swirling over the zanpakuto. The earth shook as the blade took in all the reiatsu, turning it into a thin red blade.

"Benihime Dokudokushii, (Poisonous Crimson Princess)" Urahara whispered, introducing his crimson blade to the enemy.

The Arrancar never saw it coming: Urahara flash stepped in front of the Arrancar and pierced the crimson blade in his stomach, making it stagger backwards and stepping off of Ururu. Surprise was written on the enemy's features. He could not believe he was not able to see the shinigami leave his spot.

The blade went far in enough to pierce the back of the Arrancar, however the blade did not pierce through the back's skin. Around the wound on the stomach, the blade seemed to melt and enter the body of the Arrancar.

"ARRRGHHH! What…are you d-doing to me!" cried the Arrancar.

Urahara retracted his blade, which regained its form as it came into contact with the air. "My Benihime has spread into your body, killing all white cells from your blood stream and leaving a powerful poison so that you may rot and die slowly and painfully. There is nothing you can do. You will suffer, as you will have made me suffer."

Urahara turned his back to the Arrancar, who screamed at the piece of information that was said to him. The ex-taicho then picked up Ururu and flashed stepped back to his shop followed closely by Tessai, who had been able to heal himself enough to move. The Arrancar screamed in agony as his body slowly began to decay.

Ukitake heard someone burst through the front door. Fast footsteps made their way down the hall and into the room next to his. He could hear Jinta yelling, no doubt trying to find out what happened. There were more footsteps that entered the room. Ukitake desperately tried to gain enough energy to get out of bed. He slid the door open and stumbled out of his room. The door that led to the other room was still opened. As he walked in, his mouth dropped. Ururu was covered in blood, and did not appear to be moving. Tessai had his hands over her, performing a healing spell and Jinta was helping by washing away the blood. Ukitake looked over at Urahara, who was standing back, his head bent low and his shoulders slumping as he watched. Despite the hat that covered his eyes, Ukitake could clearly see that the man was agitated and hurt. Ukitake walked over and put a hand on Urahara's shoulder.

"Is there anything I can do?"

Urahara looked up and put a hand on Ukitake's. He gave the man a small smile, but it was replaced by a broken up frown when he shook his head. Urahara had realized that no one could do anything. Tessai and Jinta's efforts would be in vain, he thought. Ururu's spirit had already left the body. Tessai was merely healing an empty shell. Urahara took Ukitake's hand and put it back to the sickly taicho's side as the blond slowly brushed passed him and exited the room. Ukitake looked at the retreating form then back at Ururu. Jinta had tears in his eyes and was mumbling.

"T-this can't be. She's just asleep, that's all." Jinta shook Ururu. "You have to wake up!" Jinta stopped and released Ururu as if touching her burnt his hands. "No, she must be tired. We just need to let her rest and she will be up in a jiffy." Jinta looked up at Tessai, who avoided his gaze. "Right?" Jinta wiped his tear-stained cheeks with his sleeve, and he suddenly started wailing as it finally dawned on him that he would never get his Ururu back.

"No…no…you can't…you can't leave…NOT LIKE THIS!" Jinta buried his face in Ururu's chest as he yelled.

Ukitake looked away from Jinta, a pained expression on his face. His heart would ache too much if he continued to watch the child suffering.

-

Later that night, Ukitake walked out onto the porch, not wanting to stay in the shop that was drowning in sorrow. There, sitting on a step was Urahara, bent over with his hands covering the back of his neck as his elbows rested on his knees. Ukitake leaned against the wall and looked up at the clear night's sky. The stars were shining brightly and the moon was in its full glory.

"The heavens are beautiful tonight." Urahara mumbled.

Ukitake looked down at Urahara. "You don't seem to want to enjoy it."

Urahara let his hands fall from his neck and looked up at the sky. "If I keep looking, I'll be reminded of her." He then looked back down at his feet.

Ukitake pushed himself off the wall and walked over next to Urahara. "She will probably be in Soul Society by now."

Urahara did not react to the statement. Ukitake looked down at the other man. "Kisuke?"

Urahara looked up at Ukitake, his eyes shadowed by his hat. Ukitake reached down and ran his fingers over the rim of the hat as if testing the waters. He gently tugged the hat off, successful for the first time. The uncovered orbs that now looked up at Ukitake were so full of emotion that Ukitake almost widened his eyes in surprise. A pain hit Ukitake's heart, as he looked deep down in the confused and saddened gaze. He had the urge to do something, anything for Urahara so that pained expression could disappear; even if it were for only but a moment, he didn't mind. Urahara's lips were slightly parted; sending a jolt down Ukitake's spine as he imagined how soft they would be if he would just bend down a bit lower to touch them. However, Urahara quickly retreated his gaze and looked back down.

His hand then reached into his kimono and pulled out an old picture. His fingers lazily roamed over the glossy image as he looked at it. Ukitake leaned over too see the picture for himself and realized that it was the very same picture that he had found in Urahara's bookcase. Ukitake smiled and patted Urahara's shoulder.

-

Ukitake had gone back to Sereitei a few days after Ururu's death. Life seemed to have rushed itself back on Ukitake when he had gone back to his division. Being away for so long, he had forgotten the burden of his captain's duties. Ukitake hardly had any free time, so it was only several months later that Ukitake had the chance to see Urahara again.

Ukitake walked up to the porch of the shop, his gaze falling on the place where he and Urahara had spent the whole night together on the day that Ururu had died. A blush rose to his face, clearly remembering the events as if it happened only a moment ago. Pushing those sweet memories aside, Ukitake entered the shop.

"Hello?"

There was some rustling going on in the back, and then a head peaked out from behind a slightly opened door separating the shop from the house.

"Ah! Jyuushiro-san! To what do I owe the pleasure?" Urahara beamed at the older taicho as he emerged from behind the door.

Ukitake returned the smile. "Well, actually, I'd like to give my thanks for having taken care of me several months ago."

"Oh, Jyuushiro-san, there is no need. I already received your word of thank you many times before."

"Yes, but I think words are not enough. I have a surprise for you actually."

Urahara gave Ukitake a questioning look, but soon replaced it with a grin. "Oh?"

"Please Kisuke, follow me." Ukitake turned and headed out of the shop.

Urahara frowned, but followed Ukitake all the same. He wondered what Ukitake had up his sleeve. A malicious grin plastered itself on his face as his imagination ran wild. Ukitake had turned around in time to see this expression on Urahara's face.

"Kisuke, you really are an old perverted man."

"Maah, cut me some slack Jyuushiro."

Ukitake hummed and walked across the shops front yard.

"Where are we going Jyuushiro?"

Without turning around Ukitake answered: "You'll see." A wave of the arm and a portal to Soul Society appeared. Ukitake turned around and gestured for Urahara to go through.

"I'm an exile, Jyuushiro. I am banned from Soul Society. I cannot lay a foot down in that place."

Ukitake gave Urahara a genuine smile. "I have gotten special permission for this. You are not an exile for this day only, now please follow me."

Urahara hesitantly followed Ukitake through the gates. A wave of nostalgia washed over Urahara as he stepped through the gates and breathed the fresh air of Soul Society. It was a sunny hot day, no clouds in sight. The grass was a brilliant green and the flowers were in full bloom. Urahara sighed when he realized he had forgotten how peaceful and beautiful Soul Society was.

Ukitake glanced back at Urahara and chuckled. "Do you miss it?" Ukitake asked.

Urahara sighed again. "I can't believe I have forgotten how wonderful this place is."

Ukitake took a few steps back towards Urahara and took hold of the blond's hand. "Well, we aren't here to go sightseeing I'm afraid. Come."

Urahara followed Ukitake as they walked through a district in Rukongai. People kept glancing towards the two men – most wondering why a captain was in this part of town. Ukitake led Urahara to a cute little shop located by a river. Urahara glanced around, his brows furrowed as he wondered why the captain got special permission to be brought to a simple place like this. The two men entered the small shop. It was a cute little place, nicely organized and had a clean rosy smell to it. Urahara noticed that the shop sold some tasty looking sweets, some that even he did not have in his own shop.

"Hello?" Ukitake gently called out.

There was some shuffling in the back of the shop, then out appeared a small little girl, eyes hidden by strands of black hair. Urahara, who had been looking at the sweets for sale on the shelves, did not notice the appearance of the girl.

"Kisuke?" a small gentle voice hesitantly said.

Urahara jumped. Glancing over his shoulder, his eyes widened in shock. For a moment, he could not move – for a moment, he felt that time had suddenly stopped as he looked at the small little girl.

"Kisuke…" the small girl muttered. Her large eyes looked up at Urahara, tears threatening to spill.

Urahara felt a hand on his shoulder, which seemed to have brought him back down from where ever he had flown off to. Urahara quickly rushed over to the girl and picked her up, hugging her tightly in his arms.

"U-Ururu, I'm so sorry."

"Kisuke!" Ururu hugged Urahara tightly, wet tears falling on Urahara's shoulder.

Urahara glimpsed back at Ukitake as he hugged the young girl, giving him a broken smile, one that could only mean he was holding back tears – tears of joy.

Ukitake looked on, pleased that his efforts to search the girl were worth seeing Urahara the happiest he has ever seen him. Feeling like he was intruding on such a beautiful moment, Ukitake slipped out of the shop and stood by the riverbank. Watching the water flow by along with the memory of Urahara's teary smile brought bliss to his heart.

A hand touched Ukitake's shoulder, making the man jump before turning around to see that Urahara was right behind him. Slightly taken aback by the close proximity of the other man, Ukitake could only remain still as Urahara looked deeply into his eyes. Urahara;s hand snaked up along Ukitake's neck and stopped to cup the back of the captain's head. Urahara's eyes fluttered closed as he leaned forward, brushing his wet lips against Ukitake's dry ones. "Jyuu," Urahara muttered before he deepened the kiss. An unexpected moan escaped Ukitake's mouth at the sound of his name being said. Ukitake hugged Urahara closer as they continued to kiss, tears leaking down from the overwhelming emotion of the day.

Breaking apart, Urahara kept his eyes locked on Ukitake. "Thank you," Urahara muttered. Urahara turned away and walked towards Ururu who was standing by the shop door with a big smile on her face.

Touching his lips with his fingers, Ukitake smiled on as he watched the two with joy.

The End.


End file.
